Italian sausages cooked in wine with rosemary and a cheesy bechamel enriched with leek, sweet red onion and herbs form the base for the scalloped potatoes.

This dish can stand alone with a leafy mixed salad or other vegetables for lunch or it can accompany your favourite meat dish.

The flavours of the italian sausages are enhanced by careful cooking and the blend of leek, onion ham and cheese give extra depth and sweetness to the creamy sauce.

Topped with crispy potatoes this is delicious and surprisingly tasty dish.

Sausage and Leek Scalloped Potatoes

Ingredients:

Sausages:

• 4-6 Italian style pork sausages
• 2 short stems of rosemary, leaves removed and finely sliced
• Extra Virgin Olive oil
• 1 small knob of butter
• 1 large clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 100ml dry white wine

Scalloped Potatoes

• 3-4 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced about 2mm thickness
• Butter, cut into small dots
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, finely sliced
• 2 Tblsp grated Parmesan cheese

Leeks, Onions and Ham:

• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1 large leek, halved and well washed, sliced
• 3 sage leaves, finely chopped
• 1tsp fresh marjoram leaves thinly sliced
• 1 short stem of rosemary, leaves removed and finely sliced
• 1 slice of smoked leg ham off the bone, chopped
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Bechamel Sauce:

• 65g butter
• 1/3 cup plain flour
• 500ml milk
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Method:

The elements of this dish are given their due care and prepared separately to bring out their best flavour. The sausages and leek/onion elements can be prepared ahead to speed things up leaving the potatoes, bechamel and assembling for the day required.

Sausages:

1. Slice the sausages into pieces about 2.5 cm thick
2. Over a medium low heat, put a little olive oil and a small knob of butter in the saucepan. When the butter foams add the crushed garlic and cook for a minute until it colours. Then remove it for a moment
3. Add the sausage pieces and brown until they have good colour
4. Sprinkle with the finely chopped rosemary and freshly ground black pepper, stirring them through the sausage
5. When the sausages are well coloured return the crushed garlic and pour over the white wine
6. Continue cooking till the wine is reduced and and pan drippings have reduced and thickened
7. Set the cooked sausages aside to cool
8. If making ahead refrigerate with the pan drippings. If making the gratin on the same day continue to prepare the potatoes and  leeks and onions

Scalloped Potatoes:

1. Peel and cut the potatoes into rounds of about 2cm thickness
2. Steam the rounds for 8 minutes
3. Set aside and continue preparing the leeks, onion and ham

Leeks, Onions and Ham:

1. Place 2 Tblsp of Olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium low heat
2. Add the knob of butter and when the butter stops foaming add the chopped ham and cook for a minute
3. Then add the sliced onion and leeks, sage, rosemary and marjorum.
4. Stir through and simmer covered until softened, about 5 minutes, adding a little hot water as required to stop the mixture catching
5. Set aside and continue preparing the bechamel

Bechamel Sauce

1. In a heavy based saucepan, melt the butter on a low heat till bubbling
2. Make a roux by adding the flour to the butter, mixing well and seasoning  with salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute
3. Using a whisk, add the milk all at one time whisking well to dissolve the butter in the roux and prevent lumps
4. Add a pinch of nutmeg and keep stirring over a medium heat until the mixture thickens and comes to the boil then lower the heat and stir for one minute
5. Remove from the heat and stir through the Parmesan cheese
6. Stir in the leek, onion and ham mixture
7. Cover and continue assembling the elements in the prepared baking dish

Assembling the the Sausage, Leek and Scalloped Potates  :

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200º C Fan forced
2. Butter a shallow baking dish
3. Scatter the sausage pieces and a little of the pan drippings over the botom of dish
4. Spoon the bechamel onion, leek mixture over the saausage pieces and level out the mix
5. Starting along the long side place the potato slices overlapping all the way along and continue until the whole dish is covered
6. Sprinkle finely chopped rosemary over the potatoes
7. Then Sprinkle over a little finely grated Parmesan cheese
8. Dot with butter over the potatoes
9. Put into the pre-heated oven and bake until the potatoes are golden, checking from time to time, approx 30-40 minutes
10. When cooked remove from the oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes to rest so that serving is easier
11. Serve as a main dish with other vegetables or a salad, or serve it as an accompaniment to meat